Apparatus and method for packaging a basketball goal system with weight-fillable base

Abstract

A portable basketball system that in a preassembled state is capable of disposition within an outer relatively flat container to assist in shipping. The basketball system comprises a pole, a backboard, a basketball goal, and a hollow ballast-receiving base. The pole has a proximate end and a distal end and comprises a plurality of pole sections. The backboard may be connected to the pole near the distal end of the pole. The basketball goal may be connected to the backboard. The hollow ballast-receiving base supports the pole in a stationary, substantially upward disposition when connected to the pole near the proximate end of the pole. This provides a pole upon which the basketball goal may be suspended at an elevation above a playing surface and the base. The base has a top and a bottom and an exterior contour for receiving and retaining the pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during preassembly thereby impeding shifting movement of the pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during shipping. The exterior contour of the base comprises a backboard recess disposed on the bottom of the base for receiving and retaining the backboard within the container, a goal recess disposed on the top of the base for receiving and retaining the basketball goal within the container, and a pair of notches disposed on the top of the base each notch for receiving and retaining at least on of the pole sections within the container.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage for disposition within an outer relatively flat container and capable of assembly into a basketball system, comprising: a plurality of pole sections capable of assembly to form a pole having a proximate end and a distal end;   a backboard for connection to said pole near the distal end of said pole;   a basketball goal for connection to said backboard;   a hollow ballast-receiving base capable of assembly with said pole, backboard, and basketball goal to form the basketball system wherein said base supports said pole in a stationary, substantially upward disposition and is connected to said pole near the proximate end of said pole an said basketball goal is connected to said backboard which is connected to said pole so that said basketball goal is suspended at an elevation above said base, said base having an exterior contour for receiving and retaining said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container and impeding shifting movement of said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during shipping, the exterior contour of said base comprising: a backboard recess for receiving and retaining said backboard within the container;   a goal recess for receiving and retaining said basketball goal within the container; and   at least one notch for receiving and retaining at least one of said pole sections within the container.     
     
     
       2. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said base has a top side and a bottom side and said backboard recess is disposed in the bottom side of said base. 
     
     
       3. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim I, wherein said base has a top side and a bottom side and said goal recess is disposed in the top side of said base. 
     
     
       4. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said base has a top side and a bottom side and said notch is disposed in the top side of said base. 
     
     
       5. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said base has an opening into a hollow cavity within said base and said opening is sufficiently large to receive therethrough one of said pole sections so that said pole section is retainable within said hollow cavity of said base during shipping and removable from said hollow cavity for assembly into the basketball system. 
     
     
       6. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said base further comprises at least one wheel disposed on said base to be capable of serving as a rotating fulcrum upon which the effective weight of the basketball system may be supported so that the basketball system is maneuverable from place to place. 
     
     
       7. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 6, wherein said wheel is disposed on said base such that said wheel serves as a rotating fulcrum supporting the effective weight of the basketball system only if said pole is tilted from stationary disposition. 
     
     
       8. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 6, further comprising a rod for disposition through said base such that said rod functions as an axle for said wheel and also functions as a connecting member for connecting said pole to said base. 
     
     
       9. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said base further comprises an opening into a hollow cavity within said base and a cap for covering said opening so that said hollow cavity is water-tight, whereby said hollow cavity is capable of receiving and retaining water as ballast. 
     
     
       10. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, wherein said base further comprises an opening into a hollow cavity within said base and a cap for covering said opening and enclosing said hollow cavity so that said base is capable of receiving and retaining solid particles as ballast. 
     
     
       11. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjustably connecting said backboard to said pole so that the height of said basketball goal above said base is adjustable, said adjustment mechanism being capable of disposition within at least one of said pole sections during shipping. 
     
     
       12. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 1, further comprising a bracing structure and wherein said base has at least one receiving aperture for receiving said bracing structure and an angled bore through which a fastener engages said bracing structure in secure bracing attachment to said base. 
     
     
       13. A basketball system that in a preassembled state is capable of disposition within an outer relatively flat container to assist in shipping, comprising: a pole having a proximate end and a distal end and comprising a plurality of pole sections;   a backboard connected to said pole near the distal end of said pole;   a basketball goal connected to said backboard;   a hollow ballast-receiving base supporting said pole in a stationary, substantially upward disposition and connected to said pole near the proximate end of said pole so that said basketball goal is suspended at an elevation above said base, said base having a top and a bottom and an exterior contour for receiving and retaining said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during preassembly thereby impeding shifting movement of said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during shipping, the exterior contour of said base comprising: a backboard recess disposed on the bottom of said base for receiving and retaining said backboard within the container;   a goal recess disposed on the top of said base for receiving and retaining said basketball goal within the container; and   at least one notch disposed on the top of s id base for receiving and retaining at least one of said pole sections within the container.     
     
     
       14. A basketball system as defined in claim 13, wherein said base has an opening into a hollow cavity of said base and said opening is sufficiently large to receive therethrough one of said pole sections so that said pole section is retainable within said hollow cavity of said base during shipping and removable from said hollow cavity for assembly into the basketball system. 
     
     
       15. A basketball system defined in claim 13, wherein said base further comprises at least one wheel disposed on said base to be capable of serving as a rotating fulcrum upon which the effective weight of the basketball system may be supported so that the basketball system is maneuverable from place to place. 
     
     
       16. A basketball system as defined in claim 15, wherein said wheel is disposed on said base such that said wheel serves as a rotating fulcrum supporting the effective weight of the basketball system only if said pole is tilted from stationary disposition. 
     
     
       17. A basketball system as defined in claim 15, further comprising a rod for disposition through said base such that said rod functions as an axle for said wheel and also functions as a connecting member for connecting said pole to said base. 
     
     
       18. A basketball system as defined in claim 13, wherein said base further comprises an opening into a hollow cavity within said base and a cap for covering said opening so that said hollow cavity is water-tight, whereby said hollow base is capable of receiving and retaining water as ballast. 
     
     
       19. A basketball system as defined in claim 13, wherein said base further comprises an opening into a hollow cavity within said base and a cap for covering said opening and enclosing said hollow cavity so that said hollow cavity is capable of receiving and retaining solid particles as ballast. 
     
     
       20. A basketball system as defined in claim I3, further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjustably connecting said backboard to said pole so that the height of said basketball goal above said base is adjustable, said adjustment mechanism being capable of disposition within at least one of said pole sections during shipping. 
     
     
       21. A basketball system as defined in claim 13, further comprising a bracing structure and wherein said base has at least one receiving aperture for receiving said bracing structure and an angled bore through which a fastener engages said bracing structure in secure bracing attachment to said base. 
     
     
       22. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage for disposition within an outer relatively flat container and capable of assembly into a basketball system, comprising: a plurality of pole sections capable of assembly to form a pole having a proximate end and a distal end;   a backboard for connection to said pole near the distal end of said pole;   a basketball goal for connection to said backboard;   a hollow ballast-receiving base having a top, a bottom, a front, a rear, and an opening into a hollow cavity of said base, said base being capable of assembly with said pole, backboard, and basketball goal to form the basketball system wherein said base supports said pole in stationary, substantially upward disposition and is connected to said pole near the proximate end of said pole and said basketball goal is connected to said backboard which is connected to said pole so that said basketball goal is suspended at an elevation above said base, said base also having an exterior contour for receiving and retaining said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container and impeding shifting movement of said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during shipping, the exterior contour of said base comprising: a backboard recess disposed on the bottom of said base for receiving and retaining said backboard within the container;   a goal recess disposed on the top of said base for receiving and retaining said basketball goal within the container; and   a pair of notches each for receiving and retaining at least one of said pole sections within the container.     
     
     
       23. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 22, wherein said notches are disposed in the top of said base. 
     
     
       24. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 22, wherein said opening is disposed in the rear of said base and is sufficiently large to receive therethrough one of said pole sections so that s id pole section is retainable within said hollow cavity of said base during shipping and removable from said hollow cavity for assembly into the basketball system. 
     
     
       25. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 22, wherein said base further comprises at least one wheel disposed on said base near the front of said base, said wheel being capable of serving as a rotating fulcrum upon which the effective weight of the basketball system may be supported so that the basketball system is maneuverable from place to place. 
     
     
       26. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage as defined in claim 25, wherein said wheel is disposed on said base such that said wheel serves as a rotating fulcrum supporting the effective weight of the basketball system only if said pole is tilted from stationary disposition. 
     
     
       27. A basketball packaging and shipping assemblage a defined in claim 25, further comprising a rod for disposition through said base such that said rod functions as an axle for said wheel and also functions as a connecting member for connecting said pole to said base. 
     
     
       28. A basketball packaging and shipping assembly as defined in claim 22, further comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjustably connecting said backboard to said pole so that the height of said basketball goal above said base is adjustable, said adjustment mechanism being capable of disposition within at least one of said pole sections during shipping. 
     
     
       29. A method for packaging and shipping an assemblage capable of assembly into a basketball system into an outer relatively flat container, the basketball system comprising a plurality of pole sections capable of assembly to form a pole, a backboard for connection to said pole, a basketball goal for connection to said backboard, and a hollow ballast-receiving base, said base having an exterior contour for receiving and retaining said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container and impeding shifting movement of said pole sections, backboard, and basketball goal within the container during shipping, the method comprising the steps of: positioning said backboard within a backboard recess disposed on the bottom of said base for receiving and retaining said backboard;   positioning said basketball goal within a goal recess disposed on the top of said base for receiving and retaining said basketball goal;   positioning at least one of said pole sections within a notch for receiving and retaining said pole section; and inserting said base, backboard, pole sections, and basketball goal into the container.   
     
     
       30. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein said base further comprises an opening into a hollow cavity of said base that is sufficiently large to receive therethrough one of said pole sections so that said pole section is retainable within said hollow cavity of said base during shipping and removable from s id hollow cavity for assembly into the basketball system, said method further comprising the step of inserting one of said pole sections through said opening into said hollow cavity of said base. 
     
     
       31. A method as defined in claim 29, wherein said basketball system further comprises a adjustment mechanism for adjustably connecting said backboard to said pole so that the height of said basketball goal above said base is adjustable, said method further comprising the step of inserting said adjustment mechanism within at least one of said pole sections prior to positioning said pole section.